From the Editor -- Next Ballston Spa school referendum is a matter of trustPublished Dec. 2, 2012

$8.9 million second phase of capital improvements at Ballston Spa's elementary and secondary school campuses. The referendum to authorize the spending for a variety of facility upgrades and replacement of aging infrastructures has been trimmed, according to Superintendent Joseph Dragone.

With an eye toward maximizing state aid and mindful of the current economy, school officials claim they reduced plans for second phase work $5.8 million from the initial $14.7 million plans. The ratio of spin to truth in that contention depends upon your level of cynicism.

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But an examination of the raft of work being proposed in phase two at Wood Road Elementary and Ballston Spa High schools appears to reveal the

$8.9 million to be a bargain.

State aid will pay for $5.9 million of that figure, if voters approve the referendum, according to Ballston Spa school district communty relations coordinator Stuart Williams.

The more gargantuan $49.3-million first phase, which is receiving a similar percentage of state aid, has started briskly with some of the most visible and easily executed work.

Construction of a new, replacement elementary school appears to be on track for completion next summer, when more phase one work at Malta Avenue and Milton Terrace North elementary schools is set to begin.

As anyone in the construction trades can tell you, new, unencumbered construction is infinitely less complicated than renovation and upgrading of existing buildings. It will be worth monitoring to see how school leaders respond to inevitable unforeseen challenges in the more complex portion of phase one.

So far, school officials have proven to be capable stewards of taxpayers' dollars.

School leaders successfully navigated the recession, trimming just over 50 positions during the previous three years. Despite gaining a windfall of new district revenue with the startup of GlobalFoundries, school officials this year struck a balance, showing restraint in increasing spending while lowering taxes.

School leaders appear to have also been judicious in selecting architects and builders to carry out the first phase of capital project work.

And taxpayers can continue to benefit from the prolonged difficult economy, which is keeping the construction industry keenly competitive.

For all those reasons, it would appear to be wise to answer school district leaders' call for approval of the next phase of capital projects.

School board members and administration appears to have shown they are vigilant of district taxpayers' interests. They have researched school building needs in a comprehensive and orderly manner. They have weighed those pressing educational needs against the current economic challenges.

School district leaders have demonstrated they deserve voters' continued trust.